Microwave Assisted Green Synthesis of Ag/AgO Nanocatalyst as An Efficient OER Catalyst in Neutral Media

T he development of robust, stable and abundant materials that are operating under neutral conditions are of great importance for the electrocatalytic conversion of water to hydrogen using sunlight. Here, a robust and highly stable, silver oxide based electrocatalyst composite system for the efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction OER was presented. The developed Ag/AgO composite catalyst with a small 10-15 nm and homogenous particle size distribution was fabricated using microwave synthesis. In the neutral media, the Ag/AgO electrocatalyst achieved 1 mA cm−2 current density at 600 mV overpotential, and exhibited a lower Tafel slope of 80 mV dec-1 compared to MnOx-based catalysts in the range of 450–600 mV. These values are comparable to those of the promising catalysts such as Mn, Co, Ni oxide based systems in the neutral media. The results showed that the developed electrocatalyst system based on Ag/AgO composite could be used in multi-layer electrocatalyst system design

Manganese oxoborate‐based nanostructures as novel oxygen evolution catalysts in neutral media

The development of electrocatalysts for the OER (oxygen evolution reaction) process is an ongoing challenge in producing sustainable energy systems. Herein, we report QS (quasi-spherical), IR (irregular), and NR (nanorod) Mn2OBO3 (manganese oxoborate), modified with a carbon support, as candidate electrocatalysts for OER in a neutral medium. QS-, IR- and NR-Mn2OBO3 catalysts displayed low onset potentials of 201 mV, 205 mV, and 208 mV and Tafel slope results of 94 mV dec−1, 97 mV dec−1, and 106 mV dec−1, respectively. As a result of the long-term stability tests, it was determined that the NR-Mn2OBO3 sample was extremely stable compared to the QS- and IR-catalysts. This work introduces a new Mn2OBO3/C composite catalyst that displays efficient OER performance at a neutral medium and provides a different perspective for catalyst development strategies